Just Car Blog

I’ll admit to having a jones for all things KTM. I’d have a 990 SMT supermotard bike parked in my garage right now, except for this thing called “disposable income” that I lack in any appreciable amount. If money were no object, I’d also consider adding a KTM X-Bow (pronounced “crossbow”) to the same garage, since you can now buy them in the United States. At least I would have considered buying an X-Bow, until British Racing Group LLC announced rolling chassis prices for the U.S. market. Sans engine and transaxle, the Austrian oversized go-kart starts at the same price as a well-optioned Z06 Corvette. Ouch.

If you want specifics, the base “Street” model starts at $88,500 for a rolling chassis, designed to take a 2.0 liter Audi turbo motor and Audi transaxle. Step up to the “Clubsport” and the same roller sets you back $103,500; opt for the “Superlight” and the price jumps to $134,500. If you want the best X-Bow that money can buy, you’ll need to pony up for the GT4, which will empty your bank account of $139,000. Remember, you still need to add an engine and transaxle, plus labor if you’re not inclined to turn your own wrenches. By KTM’s own estimates, a base Audi motor and gearbox will set you back another $7,900 plus installation and tuning. Let’s round up and call it an even $10,000, which makes the price of the cheapest KTM X-Bow $98,500, or just a few track days shy of the $100k barrier.

That’s a hell of a lot of money to spend on a car you can’t even drive on the street. In fact, that kind of money would buy you a whole bunch of track day toys, ranging from an Ariel Atom through spec racers and even formula cars. At half the amount, I get the appeal, but at the prices British Racing Group LLC expects, I’d call this particular X-Bow way off target.